Automatic weighing-machine.



APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

. 7 NM j 9 6 H w 3 I I w 4 I 8 I 3 w H IIII .1 o A Witnesses:-

Inventor No. 769,909. PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1904,

A. W. LIVINGSTON. AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.17, 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

Witazsses W Invent;

PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

A. W. LIVINGSTON. AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.17, 1903.

B SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

A W LIVINGSTON AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1903.

6 SHEETSSHBET 4.

N0 MODEL.

Inventor No. 769,909. PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

' A. W. LIVINGSTON.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED we. 17, 1903. N0 MODEL. 6 sums-sum 5.

Inven'tm,"

a I l I I I I l I I l t:

PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

A. W. LIVINGSTON. AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

A PPLIGATION FILED AUG.17, 1903.

6 SHEETSSHEET 6.

NO MODEL.

minessex- Weight 5 at its opposite end.

is fixed upon the beam and partakes of its:

UNITED STATES Patented September 13, 1904.

PATENT EETcE.

AUTOMATIC WElGHlNG-MACHENE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,909, d e September13, 1904. Application filed August 17, 1903. Serial No. 169,726. (Nomodel.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW IV. LIVING- STON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Alameda, in the county of Alameda and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in AutomaticWeighing-Hachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved appa-.

ratus for automatically segregating, weighing, and delivering driedfruits or other material in any predetermined quantity to be put upsubsequently in packages of uniform size and weight. Its object is toprovide a continuous-movement machine which shall be antomatic,accurate, and of large capacity.

It consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts,as hereinafter more fully described, having reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of myapparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view of same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionof the feed-hopper. Fig. 4 is a side viewof a feeder, partly in section.Fig. 5 is a side view of a scoop. Fig. 6 is a rear view of the feedershown in Fig. i. Fig. 7 is a rear view of the scoop shown in Fig. 5.Fig. 8 is a plan view of the rotary disk carrying rotary stops andshowing relation to scale mechanism. Fig. 9 is a side elevation showingposition of rotary disk above platform. Fig. 10 is a linear projectionof the feeders to show diagrammatically, as it were, the disposition ofthe ends of the fingers 25 and the scoop projection 29. Fig. 11 showsthe scalebeam at balance.

A represents acentral vertical shaft, driven by any suitable means, and2 a platform carrying the weighing mechanism and secured to andrevoluble with the shaft. In the present instance I have shown theweighing mechanism as comprising five scales located at suitableintervals around the shaft, each having a balance-beam 3 with a tiltingscoop or hopper 4 at its outer end and a counterbalance- The weight 5movement and is adapted to weigh a trifle less than the actual amount ofmaterial intended for each package. For example, if packages are toweigh one pound the weight 5 would balance with the scoop, say,atfourteen and one-fourth ounces. The difference between that amount andthe desired sixteen ounces is made up through the medium of mechanismforming the essential features of my invention.

Disposed in suitable relation to the weight end of each scale is astandard 6, fixed rigid to and movable with platform 2 and having apendent cone portion 7 immediately above weight 5. The latter isrecessed to admit the cone when the beam is elevated. The cone supportsthree washers 8 9 10. The washer 8 represents one ounce, washer 9represents onehalf an ounce, and washer 10 represents onefourth ounce,each separated slightly from the others, but all adapted to be lifted insuccession by the rising weight 5, so that when the scalebeam is atperfect balance the three washers will be lifted free of its normal conesupport and be sustained on weight 5. The combined weight of theoscillating weight 5 and the three washers thus exactly counterbalancessixteen ounces of material in the scoop. The manner in which the fruitor other material is delivered into the scoop cooperatively With thisWeight-registering device and the means for regulating the delivery areas follows: B is a stationary feed-hopper suitably supported above thescales and concentric with the shaft A, which extends up through thehopper and carries the agitating-arms 11. The hopper is made with adouble bottom, having the vertically-disposed chutes ordischarge-passages 12 12*12 l212arranged in a circle about shaft A andabove the path of travel of scoops a. The first two chutes l2 and 12 arehere shown as approximately of the same size, while chutes I2", 12, and12 successively decrease in diameter. The several chutes are slightlysmaller at their top than at their lower or discharge end. By thushaving the inlet-orifice reduced relative to the rest of the passage thechance of the sticky mass of fruitsuch, for example, as preparedprunes-packing in the chute and adhering to the sides is avoided.

The fruit is .wall 18.

delivered at the top of the hopper by any suitable means upon a centralconical corrugated spreader 13, fixed to and turnable like blades 11with shaft A. Arms 11 are an inch or so above the bottom of the hopperand have downwardly-projecting pins 1 1, aiding, in conjunction with thecorrugations of the conical spreader, further to disengage the fruitmass and separate it into its individual components. The arms are curvedforward at their outer ends, as shown, and cooperate with the walls ofthe hopper to feed the fruit lying in the annular space between thewalls and spreader in toward the openings in chutes 12 12, &c. Fixed tothe under side of the hopperB are the respective scale-feeders 15 15" 151515, into which the respective chutes 12 12, &c. empty. As clearlyshown in Fig. 4., each of these feeders comprises a rectangular-shapedcasing 0, open at the top and back and on the side adjacent to shaft Aand having a concaved and inclined bottom 16. This casing has a shortrigid throat portion 17 in its upper part, open at the rear and with afront inclined A box 19, open at each end, is pivoted at 20, and thelower edges of the walls are movable over the concaved bottom 16, whichlatter normally forms the bottom of the 'box. A plate 21 is pivotedconcentric with box 19 at 20 and hangs normally in Vertical position incontact with the slotted rear wall of box 19. The forward movement ofplate 21 is limited by suitable stops, as the inturned flange 22 on thethroat 17. Box 19 carries aweight projection 23, whereby it is normallyswung under the throat 17, so that it stands substantially vertical, andfruit from a relative chute, as 12, above will drop into the box andrest therein ,u'pon bottom 16 and against the hinged back plate 21,which is also counterweighted, as at 24:, until the box is swung back onits hinge 20 to scrape the fruit from the stationary bottom 16 anddeposit it in a scoop 1. The manner in which this automatic and periodicdischarge is effected will be described later.

Each feeder is constructed to hold a certain amount, by weight, of driedfruit or other material handled.

While this apparatus is primarily devised for the handling and weighingof dried fruits, as prunes, it will be obvious that it may be readilyadapted to handle any other material in bulk.

By preliminary experiment it may be determined just what amount, byweight, each one of the feeders 15 15 15 will contain of the particularrun of fruit. Asprunes, for example, are graded, according to theirsize, into thirty to forties, forty to fifties, fifty to sixties, &C.@'.6., the average number of prunes per pound the fruit of any one run willbe of practically uniform size and weight. Hence where one-poundpackages are to be put up feeders 15 and 15 will each hold a trifle lessthan half apound, since the difference will be made up from the contentsof one or more of the succeeding feeders 15 15 or 15.

It is preferable for obvious reasons that the feeders 15 15 shoulddeliver together a little less than a pound rather than more. Of courseone feeder could be made to deliver the major quantity and the shortagemade up from the others; but I have preferred for purposes of gain inspace and in speed of operation, accuracy, and for other practicalreasons to have feeders 15 and 15 divide the amount about as here shown.Hinged plate 21, or valve, as, in fact, it is, governs the amountdischarged from a feeder. The plate does not extend the length of box19, and while it is pivoted to the same pivot 20 with the box it has amovement independent of the latter. When the box is swung back indischarge position by the engagement of the hinged projection 25 with arotary stop, as 26, the valve-plate 21 maintains its normal pendentvertical position by means of the counterweighted arm 24, operating inthe opening in the rear wall of box 19 until the front wall of the boxengages valve-plate 21 to cut off the fruit-supply. Only that amount offruit below the sweep of plate 21 will be discharged by the feeder. Atthe same time the manner of suspending the plate will not permit of thejamming or bruising of any of the fruit, because the plate when met bythe front wall of the box or the intervening fruit column will turn onits hinge 20in unison with the box, the pressure of weight 2st beingsufficient to prevent any more prunes passing below until the box andvalve once more assume their normal vertical position. In practice whilethe end of the plate will seldom come in actual contact with the frontwall of the box portion the uniformity in size of the fruit and thecontracted form of the throat assure no further feed below plate 21 whenthe prune column is engaged between the front wall of the box and theplate, still, as just said, the hinging of the valve-plate allows theValve to give at the right moment without letting up in its pressure.

Valve-plate 21 is made in two sections ex-v tendible by means of the setscrews 27, whereby the deliverable quantity of any one feeder may bevaried, it being understood that the amount delivered from a feeder isthat amount lying upon the stationary bottom 16 and below the pathdescribed by the lower end of valve-plate 21 when box 19 is turned onits hinge.

Assuming quantities of one pound each are to be weighed and dischargedfrom the machine, feeders 15 and 15 will be adapted to deliver into ascoop approximately seven and a-half ounces each. The succeeding feeder15 will deliver one ounce, or, say, three prunes, feeder 15 a fractionless, or, say, two prunes, and feeder 15 one prune, the idea being thatthe deficiency in weight of the first two feeders will be made up fromeither or any two or all of the succeeding feeders. This discharge andselection are effected as follows: Scoops 4 are pivoted on thescale-beam, as shown at 28, so as to have an oscillating movementradially of platform 2 and adapted to discharge over the rim of thelatter. The inner ends of the scoops carry horizontal camguides 29,which are all in the same horizontal plane only when all of the scalesare simultaneously in perfect balance. hen any one scale is in thatposition, its cam-guide 29 will pass freely beneath the pendent hingedprojection 25 on each of the feed-boxes of feeders 15, 15, and 15; butwhen any scale is at less than balancethat is, when a scoop 4 does notcontain enough to bring it down to balanceits cam 29 will engage one orthe other of the hinged projections just mentioned (the lower ends ofwhich are in difierent horizontal planes) to throw the projection towardthe center of platform 2 and cause it to come into contact with a rotarystop 26, disposed relative to each cam 29. The projection 25 is carriedon a short distance by the continued movement of 26, turning box 19 onits hinge and causing discharge into the scoop beneath, as previouslydescribed.

As each projection 25 on the successivelyarranged feeders 15 15, and 15has its end in a difierent horizontal plane, they will be engaged atcorrespondingly-ditferent elevations of the scoop. Each scoop as itcomes beneath the main feeders 15 and 15 is adapted to engage itsprojection 25 and receive its contents. This may or may not bring thereceiving-scoop to balance. If it is brought to balance, the weights 8 910 will all rest on weight 5 on the scalebeam,as in Fig. 11. Thebalanced scoop will then ride free beneath feeders 15 15 and 15 but ifafter receiving the contents from feeders 15 and 15 the scoop is stillshort weight, say, one ounce it trips the largest of the smallerfeeders, or feeder 15". If still short weight an amount in excessof thecontents of feeder 15, it will trip feeder 15. If still short, it willfinally trip feeder 15.

The weight of the contents of the several feeders may be so regulatedthat there will be no question of the contents of all the feeders makingup the desired weight. If the short weight after tripping feeder 15 isonly one prune, the level of the scoop is such that it misses theintermediate projections on feeders 15 and 15 and only trips the lastand smallest feeder 15, and so with any other fraction of the totalcapable of being made up by any one feeder.

As the scale-beam must respond instantly to the receipts from thevarious feeders and as the scoop must come almost immediately to aposition of rest and not oscillate back and forth, since it woulddisarrange the weights and interfere with the regularity and exactnessof discharge from the feeders, I provide a light spring-brake, as 30,which bears lightly against the end of the scale-beam. The frictionalcontact of this spring with the beam is so slight that while it willcause the beam to stop without a return oscillation it will always allowthe beam to go just the right distance and then stop. In other words,the pressure exerted by the spring is such that the beam would oscillateon the addition or substraction, say, of one pennyweight in the scoop;but it exerts its pressure in such a direction that the sensitivebobbing up and down of the scoop when near balance is obviated.

The operation of the machine is continuous. At each revolution a scoopdischarges a predetermined quantity. The timing of the shaft is soregulated that each feeder has a chance to fill after being dischargedand before the next succeeding scoop comes along. A scoop will receivethe contents of feeders 15 and 15, and any shortage in weight will bemade up, as before described. The properly-filled scoop discharges intothe packagingmachine or other receiver and is righted again during thetraverse of the space between the last feeder 15 and first feeder 15.This discharge is here shown as effected by the engagement of the upperedge of the point of the scoop with a fixed guide 31. The forward tiltof the scoop is limited by a stop 32. The scoop is righted by engaging areverse guide 83. Thus each scoop is filled, dumped, and righted as theplatform 2 revolves. The fruit coming into the stationary hopper Bpasses down through chutes 12 12*, &c., to their respective feeders,which are constantly being filled, opened, closed, and refilled duringthe operation of the machine by the engagement of the cam-guides 29 andthe longer or shorter hinged projections 25 and the consequentengagement of the latter with the rotary stops 26.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a continuously-operating automatic weighing-machine, thecombination of a rotatable support, a series of scales thereon eachhaving a scoop tiltable radially of the support, means for deliveringpredetermined quantities of material to said scoops, means for tiltingsaid scoops, and means for rotating said support continuously.

2. In an automatic weighing-machine, the combination of a rotatablesupport, a series of scale-beams pivoted thereon and provided withscoops tiltable radially of the support, feed mechanism relative to thesupport, and means operatable by the scoops automatically controllingthe supply from said feed mechanism.

3. In an automatic \veighing-machine, the combination of a rotatablesupport, a series of scale-beams pivoted thereon, and provided withscoops tiltable radially of the support, feed mechanism,stop meansrotatable with the support, and means carried by the feed mech- 'anismengageable by the scoop and said stop means to operate said feedmechanism.

4:. In an automatic Weighingmachine, the combination of acontinuously-operating traveling carrier, scales thereon, and a seriesof feeders in the path of said scales and operatable thereby,saidfeeders adapted to deliver each a definite measured quantity.

5. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, scales carried thereby, a series of fixed feeders each adaptedto contain a definite measured quantity less than a desired total, andmeans operatable by the scales for discharging said feeders.

6. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, tilting scale-beams thereon, scoops on said beams, a series offixed graduated feeders relative to the path of travel of said scoops,and means operatable in the travel of the carrier to effect discharge ofone or more of said feeders into said scoops.

7. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, Weighing mechanism thereon, and a series ofsuccessively-arranged valved feeders holding each a definite quantityless than a desired total, and

V ferent and predetermined quantity, and selective mechanism operatableby the movements of the carrier to discharge any one of said feeders.

10. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, Weighing mechanism thereon, and a series ofsuccessively-arranged feeders relative to said mechanism, said feedersarranged to discharge varying and predetermined quantities, and meansinterposable in the path of the carrier to discharge said feeders.

11. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, Weighing mechanism thereon, and a series ofsuccessively-arranged feeders holding each a predetermined quantity ofmaterial and means operatable by the Weighing mechanism to dischargeautomatically one or more of said feeders.

12. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, Weighing mechanism thereon, a series of successivelyarrangedvalved feeders and means interposable in different planes in the path ofthe carrier to discharge said feeders.

13. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, Weighing mechanism thereon, a series of successivelyarrangedvalved feeders and means in different horizontal planes interposable inthe path of the carrier to discharge said feeders.

1 1. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, Weighing mechanism thereon, feed mechanism relative to the pathof travel of the Weighing mechanism, said feed mechanism including ahinged open-ended container and a stationary bottom, means for retainingsaid container in normally closed bottom position, and means for turningsaid container on its hinges out of engagement with said bottom.

15. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, Weighing mechanism thereon, feed mechanism relative to saidcarrier, said feed mechanism including a stationary hopper having aplurality of discharge-outlets in its bottom, means associated With saidoutlets for delivering a definite measured quantity, each of saidoutlets arranged to discharge a predetermined fraction of a desiredtotal, closures controlling the discharge from said last-named means,and means operated by the traveling Weighing mechanism to controlautomatically said closures.

16. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, Weighing mechanism thereon, feed mechanism relative to thecarrier, said feed mechanism including a hopper having adischarge-outlet in its bottom, a measuring devicev located beneath eachoutlet and a valved closure for said measuring device, and means on thecarrier for operating said closure.

17. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, Weighing mechanism thereon, feed mechanism relative to thecarrier, said feed mechanism including a stationary hopper having adischarge outletpassage in the bottom, a measure beneath said outlet,said measure contracted at its upper end, and a valved closureregulating the discharge from said outlet-passage operatable by themoving Weighing mechanism.

18. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, Weighing mechanism thereon, feed mechanism relative to thecarrier, said feed mechanism comprising a stationary hopper having anannular series of discharge-passages in its bottom, a rotatable conicalspreader concentric With and inclined Within said annular series, armsrotatable With the spreader and cooperating With the Walls of the hopperto deliver material to said discharge-passages, and valved devices forregulating the discharge from the latter.

19. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, weighing mechanism thereon, feed mechanism relative to thecarrier, said feed mechanism including a hopper having an annular seriesof successively-arranged discharge-passages of different sizes, valveddevices in the path of discharge from said passages, said devices eachdischarging a predetermined quantity and means operatable by thetraveling weighing mechanism to operate said devices.

20. In an automatic weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier Weighing mechanism thereon, feed mechanism including a movablecontainer having inlet and outlet passages, a stationary part normallyclosing said outlet-passage, and a means in the path of theweighing-machine tomove the container and effect discharge.

21. In an automatic weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier weighing mechanism thereon, feed mechanism including a movablecontainer having inlet and outlet passages, a stationary part normallyclosing said outlet-passage and a hinged part engageable by the Weighingmechanism to move the container out of engagement with said stationarypart.

22. An automatic feeder comprising a casing open at one side and backand having a concaved bottom, an open-ended container hinged in saidcasing concentric with said bottom and a hinged valve-plate cooperatingwith said bottom and the container to regulate the deliverable quantityof the feeder.

23. An automatic feeder comprising a casing open at one side and back,an open-ended container hinged in said casing, and a valveplate hingedconcentric with the container and cooperating with the bottom of thecasing and front of the container to regulate the deliverable contentsof the feeder.

24:. An automatic feeder comprising a stationary casing open at one sideand back, an open-ended container hinged atits upper rear edge in saidcasing, means for retracting the container normally within the casing, avalveplate cooperating with the bottom of the easing and the walls ofthe container to regulate the discharge of the feeder.

25. An automatic feeder comprising a sta tionary casing open at one sideand back, an open-ended container hinged at its upper rear edge in saidcasing and normally retracted therewithin, a resiliently-supportedvalveplate in said container, and said valve and container having alimited movement independent of each other and each cooperating with thebottom of the casing to deliver the contents of the feeder.

26. In an automatic weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier, scales thereon, a superposed feed-hopper, intermediate valvefeed-delivery means, and means for operating said valve delivery meansto discharge a predetermined quantity of material to the scales.

27. In an automatic weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingcarrier. :1 tilting scale-beam thereon, a scoop or like containing meanscarried by said scale-beam, counterbalance-weight mechanism operatableby the movements of the scoop, and means for delivering successive anddefinite, measured increments of material into the scoop.

28. In a weighing-machine the combination with a rotatable support, of atilting scalebeam carried thereon, a scoop tiltable radially of thesupport on one end of said beam, and a series of counterbalance-weightsin different planes in the path of the opposite end of the beam.

29. In a weighing-machine, an oscillating scale-beam, and afriction-shoe 30 limiting the oscillation of said beam.

30. In an automatic weighing-machine, the combination With a rotatablesupport, of a series of separate independent scales arranged to delivera definite measured quantity thereon, a series of independent successivefeed mechanisms each adapted to contain a predetermined fraction of adesired total, and means for operating said feed mechanisms to dischargeinto said scales successively.

31. In an automatic weighing-machine, the combination with acontinuously-moving series of weighing mechanisms each having areceiving vessel, of a fixed hopper having a series of independentoutlets into communication with which said vessels are carried by themovement of said weighingmechanisms, each outlet of the series having anormally closed delivery device, measures relative to said outlets, andmeans controlled by the movement of said weighing mechanisms forautomatically opening each of said devices in succession during thepassage of each of said vessels to cumulatively load the same.

32. In an automatic weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingseries of weighing mechanisms each having a receiving vessel, a fixedhopper having a plurality of independent outlets beneath which saidvessels are carried by the movement of said weighing mechanisms, aplurality of closures arranged to normally close said outlets, each ofsaid delivery devices in the series adapted to deliver a definitemeasured quantity, and means movable with said moving vessels wherebyeach of said closures may be automatically opened in succession duringthe passage of each of said vessels beneath it.

In an automatic weighing-machine, the combination with acontinuously-moving series of weighingmechanisms each havinga receivingvessel, of a hopper havinga plurality of independent outlets eachprovided with a normally closed delivery device, a measure relative toeach of said outlets and closures for said measures, and beneath whichsaid vessels are carried by the movement of said weighing mechanisms,and means whereby each of said delivery devices may be automaticall yopened in succession during the passage of each of said vessels beneathit.

34. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination of a travelingseries of Weighing mechanisms each having a receiving vessel, loadingmeans for said vessels having a series of outlets each provided With anormally closed delivery device, said devices having definite dischargecapacities, and means for opening the same in succession to therebycumulatively load each of said vessels.

35. In an automatic Weighing-machine, the combination With a travelingcarrier, of a series of Weighing mechanisms mounted thereon and eachhaving a receiving vessel, a series of feeders for said vessels arrangedalong the path of movement thereof and having graduated and varyingdelivery capacities, and means operable in the travel of the carrier toeffect a discharge from one or more of said feeders.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

ANDREWV W. LIVINGSTON.

Witnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, JESSIE (J. BRODIE.

